Loans offered to hard-hit shrimp farmers

PHUKET: With shrimp prices still on the skids, the Phuket Internal Trade Office (PITO) have announced that they will now accept shrimp as collateral for loans requested by registered shrimp farmers in Phuket.

During a Governor Meets the Press meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall, PITO Chief Somphot Sangkhapong said that the office will accept Pacific white shrimp, also known as white vannamei shrimp, for any farmer who wants a loan.

Deposited stock must consist of 40 to 60 shrimp per kilogram, priced between 105 and 140 baht per kilogram, with a total value not exceeding two million baht. The deposit period will extend until October. Farmers have four months to withdraw their stock after deposit.

The nationwide program will have shrimp stored in one of seven cold storage units around the country, but Phuket farmers must travel to the nearest unit, in Songkhla, to receive the loan.

K. Somphot said that about 109 tons of shrimp, valued at 15.3 million baht, have already been deposited from nine farmers in Phuket.

This is the latest scheme, following the Blue Flag Shrimp Festival, to help farmers hard hit by lower prices this year.

K. Somphot said the shrimp festival, which has been running for two months at three locations in Phuket, will continue until the prices rise. On average, the shrimp festival has sales of 1.5 tons per day, at an average price of 140 baht per kilogram.

The locations for the shrimp festival are:

– The Esso service station on Thepkrasattri Rd, near Supercheap, open daily from 8 am to 1 pm.

– The Phuket Provincial Commercial Affairs Office, opposite Seng Ho Bookstore on Montri Rd in Phuket City, open Monday to Friday, 3 pm to 6 pm.

– The Moom Muang Market on Chao Fa East Rd, daily from 8 am to 6 pm, or until stock runs out.

Phuket News

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